Phuket News
Discover the latest news and updates from Thailand’s most famous and beautiful island, The Thaiger’s hometown, having previously operated as the Phuket Gazette.
Our team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from Phuket, covering everything from local politics and business to lifestyle and tourism. Learn about the island’s stunning beaches, vibrant nightlife, and thriving expat community, as well as keeping updated on events, and attractions.
The Thaiger is your ultimate guide to staying connected with Phuket’s ever-evolving landscape. To keep up with the most reliable news source on the island, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media.
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Women on top: Triathalon Champ talks about empowering women
PHUKET: “If I miss my morning training, I have no energy throughout the day,” says Belinda Granger, 15 times Iron Distance Triathlon Champion. “But you don’t have to compete in Triathlons. Just notice something that keeps you energetic and lively and keep adding more of that element into your life,” she adds. The 10 women who attended the “Empowering Women…
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Despite rescue efforts, dolphin beached at Patong dies
PHUKET: A dolphin that washed ashore at Patong Beach yesterday afternoon died despite the best efforts of bystanders to keep her alive.The female striped dolphin was first spotted by a tourist, who informed a jet-ski operator, who in turn called the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC).“I was walking along the beach when a tourist came to tell me about the…
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Cold case cracked: Phuket market vendor faces decade-old murder charge
PHUKET: A used-clothing seller in the Baan Lipon market was arrested yesterday afternoon on a Songkla murder charge dating back to 2002.Thalang police received word from police in Padang Besar that Jatejit Boonchai, a 36-year-old Trang native, was living in Thalang.“We found out that he was selling second-hand clothing in the market,” said Thalang Police Superintendent Sirisak Wasasiri said.“So we…
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Same same, but different: Second crane collapses in Patong
PHUKET: For the second time in just over a month, a crane being used to install water pipes on Phang Muang Sai Kor Road in Patong toppled over yesterday afternoon, landing this time on a garden wall. No injuries were reported. The accident occurred at about 4:30pm near Patong Hospital (map here). The crane operator, Phol Phongsaen, 32, said the…
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Sexagenarian on cycle tour of Thailand stops by Phuket
PHUKET: Retired teacher Manit Intarit, 66, stopped by Phuket Provincial Hall on his bicycle on Tuesday to meet Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut on the ninth day of his cycling trip around Thailand to honor HM The King and Queen.Pony-tailed Mr Manit, who hails from Pattani, said, “I want HM The King and Queen to know that residents of the Deep…
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Phuket student drug flunkies heading for summer camp rehab
PHUKET: A group of 29 Phuket students – all of whom tested positive for drugs – are in for a summer camp they’d not expected. They are now signed up to spend nine days getting clean and learning about the dangers of substance abuse. From today, August 22, to 30, the students will join a stricter-than-normal summer camp at Phuket’s…
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VIDEO REPORT: Police set reward for Democrat Party Phuket office thief
PHUKET: A reward of 5,000 baht was offered this morning for any information leading to the arrest of a thief who is believed to have broken into the Democrat Party Phuket office not once, but twice this month.In addition to robbing the office of an undisclosed amount of money, the thief also vandalized the interior. The office is located on…
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Phuket teen swerves to avoid car making u-turn, dies in crash
PHUKET: A 16-year-old speeding south on Thepkrasattri Road last night died after he swerved to avoid a car and hit a metal pole instead.Witnesses told police that Sakarat Muaenparn was riding his motorbike at high speed in the motorbike lane when a car made a u-turn south of the PTT station, said Thalang Police officer Chatree Chuwichian.The car turned in…
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Officials baffled over dead Koh Racha Yai fish
PHUKET: Several dead reef fish collected from the dozens of dead fish found at the popular dive destination of Koh Racha Yai were brought to the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) earlier this month after local fishermen, villagers and divers voiced concern that they may have been poisoned, perhaps by cyanide.“In the last week to 10 days, there have been…
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VIDEO REPORT: HM the King’s historic visit may bolster Phuket sea gypsy land rights
PHUKET: As part of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) probe to establish how long Phuket sea gypsies have been living at Rawai Beach, officers have discovered movie footage of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej visiting the community in 1959. The footage may prove critical to the sea gypsies’ fight against court-ordered evictions based on land claims by private investors, the…
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Rohingya play ‘pity card’ for media: Deputy Interior Minister
PHUKET: Deputy Interior Minister Wisarn Techathirawat says the presence of the media encourages Rohingya refugees to “act-up in front of the camera” in order to get sympathy. Mr Wisarn was at the Phang Nga Immigration center yesterday to inspect the facility, following a Rohingya riot there earlier this month. “The media often knows that the Rohingya are arriving even before…
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Copper thief copped at Phuket checkpoint
PHUKET: Police arrested a man carrying 100,000 baht worth of stolen copper wire concealed in fertilizer sacks at a routine checkpoint in Thalang yesterday .Eakkapan Pinthong, 22, a construction worker at the Karn Keha public housing estate in Srisoonthorn, appeared nervous as he approached the checkpoint on Baan Don Road shortly after midnight yesterday, police said.“He was riding a motorbike…
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Northbound lanes at Phuket underpass to re-open, relieve congestion
PHUKET: The northbound lanes entering the Darasamuth Intersection, in front of the Central Festival Festival shopping mall, will be re-opened this afternoon, relieving some of the heavy traffic congestion in the area. Excavating the road required workmen at the site to close all northbound lanes for several hours this morning and redirect traffic along the spur road to join Wichit…
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Rescue workers bag a pair of Phuket pythons
PHUKET: Rescue workers were called to recover large pythons in both Patong and Mai Khao last night after local Phuket residents raised the alarm due to the sheer size of the snakes. Rescue workers from Patong Hospital were summoned to capture a large python seen slithering across the road in front of the Patong Municipality offices (map here) at about…
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Tourism Malaysia closes Phuket office after 13 years
PHUKET: Tourism Malaysia announced today that it will close its Phuket office and all other offices outside of Bangkok by the end of this month.“There will only be one office in Thailand, and that will be in Bangkok,” Deputy Director General of Tourism Malaysia Chong Yoke Har said.Mrs Chong made the announcement at an appreciation dinner for Phuket’s media and…
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Family escapes injury in Phuket tour bus shunt
PHUKET: A 66-year-old man, his wife and their toddler granddaughter luckily escaped injury this afternoon when the car they were travelling in was shunted from behind by a Phuket tour bus at speed on Thepkrasattri Road in Koh Kaew.The force of the impact sent Saeree Krajangsee and his Honda City sedan careening over the median strip and slamming into a…
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Russian shot in Phuket beachfront drive-by
PHUKET: A Russian man is recovering in hospital after being shot in the back during a drive-by in Rawai on Saturday night.Maksim Klocskov, 32, was shot in the back after a bullet penetrated the trunk and back seat of the car he was riding in.Mr Klocskov was rushed to Phuket International Hospital and a medical team immediately began operating on…
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British teen dies after severe allergic reaction to cashew nut in Phuket
PHUKET: A 14-year-old British boy, on holiday with his family, went into shock and died after consuming a single cashew nut last night in Patong.Ethan Williams was taken to Patong hospital, but died en route, Patong Hospital Director Dr Sirichai Silapa-acha said.Doctors believe that Ethan died either from an acute allergic reaction to the cashew nut or bronchial spasms brought…
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Brothers arrested for hotel room drug depot shopfront
PHUKET: Two brothers were arrested on drugs charges on Friday, with police suspecting that the siblings were using a hotel room in Cherng Talay to store and sell their wares. “We received a report from one of our undercover agents about the brothers renting a hotel room to store drugs, and we obtained a warrant to search their house in…
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Russian found hanged from tree at Phuket landmark
PHUKET: A Russian man was found dead, hanged from a tree in a wooded area near Phuket’s iconic Promthep Cape, at the southernmost tip of the island, on Saturday morning. Chalong Police received news of the deceased foreigner at 8:30am. “We found the body of Vladimir Slobodenyuk, 29, from Russia, hanging by a length of nylon rope from a large…
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Phuket hospital confirms identity of severely beaten Nepalese tailor
PHUKET: A change of corners in the beating of a Nepalese tailor has revealed that the tailor, Aung Aung Latt, was in fact the one hospitalized after being severely beaten by another tailor who has only been identified as “Rocky”, despite previous reports (see here). Vachira Phuket Hospital staff were unable to confirm or deny the identity of the hospitalized…
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Phuket FC hope to devour Khon Kaen’s T-Rex tonight
PHUKET: Recovering from their Wednesday night draw with Royal Navy FC, 6th-placed Phuket FC will be looking to bag all three points in their away fixture tonight against the 14th-placed Khon Kaen FC T-Rex. To kickoff at Khon Kaen OrBorJor Stadium at 6pm, the match is both side’s 23rd of 34 scheduled matches in the Yamaha League One 2013 season.…
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Special Report: Sudden Death comes knocking at Phuket’s door
Special Report Hans Lehner and his Thai partner Pranee Srijaem went out for somtam last Saturday night (story here). The next day Pranee was dead. Stumped for any explanation as to why Pranee, 39, had died, doctors were forced to list the cause of death as ‘acute heart failure’ as a form of Sudden Unexplained Death Syndrome. The Phuket Gazette‘s…
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Mafia rule: Patong Kingpin points finger at officials
PHUKET: Preechavude ‘Prab’ Keesin, son of Patong Mayor Pian Keesin, has lashed out at the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), calling on them to tackle corruption among government officers and the ranks of law enforcement officials. Mr Prab and Mayor Pian were among the 11 parties named by the DSI as “mafia” operating illegal taxis on the island. The result…
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Krabi International Airport shifting to 24-hour service
PHUKET: In a move to service increasing numbers of visitors to Krabi and provide some relief for the overcrowded Phuket International Airport, Krabi International Airport will become a 24-hour facility, its director said yesterday. “The number of tourists visiting our province has been going up in recent years, and the demand for flights and airport services is increasing,” Krabi Airport…
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Phuket to remember long-term expat Marc Harrington, 66
PHUKET: Friends of long-term Phuket expat Marc Harrington, who died on Tuesday, will be holding a fundraiser next Friday, August 23, to help cover hospital and funeral expenses so they may lay him to rest. Mr Harrington, a British national from London, was admitted to Vachira Phuket Hospital on June 22 after suffering a head injury in a motorbike accident…
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Tiger Disco: date set for trial over lethal Phuket fire
PHUKET: More than than a year after a fatal blaze killed four people at Patong’s famous Tiger Disco nightclub on August 17 last year, the nightclub’s operators will be called to Phuket Court to enter a plea to charges of negligence causing death. “Tiger Group CEO Piya Isaramalai and Sara Entertainment Co Ltd each face a charge under Section 291…
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Mayor Pian, other Patong officials snared in vote fraud probe
PHUKET: The Phuket Election Commission (PEC) Director, Kittipong Thiengkunakrit, signed an order on July 29 to remove Patong Mayor Pian Keesin from office for vote fraud.However, in talking with the Phuket Gazette today, he was vague about the details of the complaint filed that led him to dismiss one of Phuket’s most powerful politicians.“Mayor Pian and other Patong Administrative officials…
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Logging raid finds over 100 rai of damage, no lumberjacks
PHUKET: A raid into the protected area of Bang Khanoon forest reserve uncovered the results of illegal logging in over 100rai of Phuket forest. “We found about fifty large Eaglewood trees cut down and a lot of pieces of the wood on the ground,” Thalang Police Deputy Superintendent Amnuay Kraiwutthianun told the Phuket Gazette. “We believe the illegal lumberjacks cut…
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Phuket speedboat brings tourists closer to nature
PHUKET: A group of tourists out to enjoy a scenic tour of Phuket’s east coast received a surprise yesterday when the captain of the speedboat they were riding on decided to take the eco-tourism slogan “bringing you close to nature” to heart. The speedboat Panisa ended up high and dry among the mangroves at the entrance to the canal to…
Phuket is a province in the south of Thailand. Phuket's beaches face the Andaman Sea allowing the west coast beaches fantastic sunsets right throughout the year. If you're looking for news in Phuket, go to thethaiger.com/phuket Or follow our instant news in our Facebook pages.
The good news is that Phuket is famous for its foodie scene with an enormously diverse range of local and international foods - Phuket and southern favorites, street food along with international choices catering for the 12 million visitors to the island each year. Thaiger follows Phuket news and information 24 hours a day with regular updates.
Phuket is only 'just' an island with a 300 metre bridge linking it to Thailand's mainland. We're always reporting in the news that the channel beneath is frequently dredged to maintain Phuket's status as an island. On the other side of Sarasin Bridge is the Province of Phang Nga.
Getting to Phuket is easy as the island has land, air and sea connections. Phuket is also used as a take-off point for local island trips as Thailand's largest island is surrounded by over 30 pristine islands. Koh Phi Phi and the famous Maya Bay are always in the news and would be the best known of the island's just off Phuket's shores.
Phuket is an island and a province. It's the largest island in Thailand – 48 km north to south, 21 km east to west.
It's about 20% smaller, in area, than Singapore but much less densely populated. Whilst the island nation of Singapore boasts a population of nearly 6 million, Phuket has a permanent population of around 400-450,000 (but varies a lot with the influx of tourists and a workforce that is always changing). Most of Phuket remains jungle and tropical rainforest despite an acceleration of development over the past 20 years.
Unlike some of Thailand's other popular islands (that are in the Gulf of Thailand), the news is that Phuket is located in the Andaman Sea.
Phuket is 878 km north of the equator.
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